Marion Nestlé has spent decades to express the way the food industry influences what we eat. At 88, it is one of the main authorities of food policy and the United States.
The American nutritionist Marion Nestlé was 65 years old and decades of experience as a researcher when he published the book that would have transformed not only his career, but the debate on food and nutrition in the United States.
At the time Food policy: how the food industry influences nutrition and health (“Food policy: since the food industry influences nutrition and health”, in free translation), in 2002, food decisions were considered purely a question of individual responsibility.
The book, however, claimed that behind it there was a system designed to encourage people to eat more and discourage healthy choices. A system in which the food industry and its Lobby They have a great influence on government policies and the main concern is profit, not public health.
“Food companies create an environment that encourages excessive consumption of food through advertising, indirect marketing, gifts, social networks, support for research support,” says Nestle in an exclusive interview with BBC News Brazil.
“And far from the public’s opinion, [há] Lobby and financing of the electoral campaigns. Personal responsibility has no possibility against this overwhelming assault. Trying to eat healthy in this context means that you are facing the entire food system alone. “
One of his reasons to write the book It was frustration by repeatedly listening to the idea that fighting the obesity of children, the secret was to teach mothers to feed their children more healthy.
By putting responsibility for mothers, this debate did not mention the way companies have directed marketing junk food (low nutritional value and high caloric density) for children.
He revolutionized this discussion showing how economic forces influence individual decisions on what to eat and therefore affect obesity rates and chronic diseases.
“I like to say that the food industry is not a social service or a public health agency. Its purpose, its sole purpose, is to generate profits for investors. If it does not do, the investors complain and the prices of the shares fall”, says Nestle, whose surname pronounces “néssol” “and has nothing to do with the Nestlé company.
“The work of a food company is to sell more food, no less, regardless of the effect of its health products. Being very direct: [a população] Eating less hurts business. “
In this he already had a respected trajectory, but the publication of the book consolidated his position of one of the main authorities in the Nutritional and Food Policy of the United States.
He inspired generations of nutritionists and activists and, at the age of 88, remains one of the most influential voices in this field.
Professional trajectory
Its critical aspect is supported by formal training as a scientist and often claims to have often attacked his opinions, but never the scientific rigor of his work.
Although always interested in food, attention to nutrition has occurred by chance. In 1968, after completing a doctorate in molecular biology at the University of California in Berkeley, she was hired as a post -Entry -entry member at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
After a few years dedicated to research at the Department of University Biology, he was accused of taught a new course that Brandeis had created on nutrition.
Since his training was not in this sector, he immersed himself in books and research on the subject to prepare. He says that at the end of this process he was in love with the topic, starting a turning point to his professional career.
In 1976, he was hired as a professor of biology and nutritional sciences at the School of Medicine of the University of California of San Francisco (UCSF), where he remained for ten years. During this period, he also obtained a Master in Public Health Nutrition.
Nestle had a short period in Washington, where he was a consultant for Senior nutritional policy for the Department of Human Health and Human Services of the United States for two years. It was at that moment, after seeing the power of the food industry in government policies, which began working in the book Food policy.
In 1988, he arrived at the University of New York (NYU) with the task of modernizing what was at the time of the Department of Economics and Nutrition. Under his command, the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies emerged.
The initiative to dedicate an academic program to study not only of individual nutrition or nutrients, but from food as a whole, including social, cultural and political implications, at the time it was a pioneer and had a great influence. Today, other universities in the United States and other countries have such programs.
This was officially retired in 2017, but maintains the title of professor of nutrition emerita, food studies of New York University and public health and does not give signs that wants to stop. It continues to travel in the country in lessons and events and is one of the main sources of reference for journalists and documentary artists on the subject.
After the success of Food policyMore than 15 food security books, food policy and nutrition, many of which assigned. In 2022, he launched a book of memories, remembering his career.
Has two titles scheduled for this year, among these What to eat now (“What to eat now”, in free translation), updated version of What to eat (“What to eat”), since 2006, and already works in a new project for next year.
In this there are over 130,000 followers on social networks X and maintains a blog, food policy, in which it publishes news, analysis and criticisms on food policies.
One of the objectives of his blog criticism is the financing of corporate nutritional research, which considers more advertising of science, since they try to demonstrate benefits to sponsor the products. He has already compared the food industry with the smoke industry.
“The food industry adopted the smokers’ manual, the methods that used questions about unfavorable research and influencers to defend their products,” he says.
“Food companies sow questions about unfavorable studies, finance their research, assume researchers such as consultants, insist on the car -regulation, complain that the regulations constitute a paternalistic state, Lobby and financial electoral campaigns. They are very good in all this. “
“Real” food
Reflecting on what has changed in five decades since he started his career in this field, Nestle says that the public interest in nutrition and health is now bigger than ever.
But in an environment in which fashions proliferate, miraculous diets and often contradictory information, recalls that the basic recommendations for a healthy diet are simple and remain the same as decades ago.
“In the 1950s, to prevent chronic diseases, we were recommended to eat more fruit, vegetables and cereals, reduce the intake of salt, sugar and saturated fats and balance the intake and calories expenses. We still receive the same recommendations,” he says.
Nestle says that he ignores the wave of influencers who are successful on social networks with formulas and nutritional memes.
“Unfortunately, many people pay close attention. My advice: find out who is sponsoring them.”
Her advice for a healthy diet, which she herself guarantees “easily”, is to maintain a varied diet, with “real” food, which gives preference to fruit, vegetables and cereals, without overloading portions.
This also underlines the importance of avoiding ultra elaborate foods, which are connected to negative consequences on health and are defined by it as “industrially produced ones to be irresistible, if not compelling, full of salt, sugar, calories and industrial additives and impossible to make in the kitchen of your home”.
“The basic recommendations of the food do not change much, or almost nothing. Where there are disagreements are in the way of processing the diets that follow these guidelines,” he says.
“There are many ways to choose diets that follow the fundamental principles. How important it is so important, if not more, of what you eat. Food is one of the great pleasures of life. You savor what you eat!”
In this praise the food policy of Latin America countries, in particular Brazil.
“The countries of Latin America guide in public health initiatives to protect children from ultra -elaborate food advertising,” he says.
“The food guidelines of Brazil are the most innovative in the world. Warning labels, restrictions and advertising restrictions [de ultraprocessados] At school there are gigantic progress. I wish we had it [nos Estados Unidos]. “
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
